Beach Bandits
by 087-B
Summary: After one year has passed, the Pines Twins return to Gravity Falls, only to find that the sand from the lakes and beaches has vanished. Not only that, but EcoTech, a nature preserving and technology producing company, has opened its doors to help recover the missing sand. Something's not right, and it's up to Dipper, Mabel, Soos, and Wendy to find out what happened to their sand!
1. New Mystery Arc - Part 1

**Hello, everyone, and welcome to yet another Gravity Falls fanfiction! I just love this show too much…**

 **Anyways, this is a fanfic that is inspired by _something_ , but I don't plan on telling you what that something is, just to keep some mystery!**

 **All I'll share is; this story is based on a nostalgic, digital memory from my childhood, one that I treasure to this day, and I wanted to put it into a story of some sort.**

 **And thus, Beach Bandits was born!**

 **Full Unedited Summary: After one year has passed since their last visit, Dipper and Mabel return to Gravity Falls, only to find that the sand from the lakes and beaches has vanished. Not only that, but at the same time, EcoTech, a nature preserving and technology producing company, has opened its doors to helping recover the missing sand. Something's pretty fishy here, and it's up to Dipper, Mabel, Soos, and Wendy to find out what happened to their sand, and what's truly the plans behind EcoTech's founder, Eric Tech.**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 _ **New Mystery Arc - Part 1**_

 **" A Problematic Return"**

* * *

 _Hi, I'm Dipper Pines._

 _My sister, Mabel, and I spent our last summer at a town called Gravity Falls, which is in Oregon._

 _Nevertheless, it was definitely an… **abnormal** summer._

 _I mean, it was crazy, but I'll save such a story like **that** for a later time._

 _For now, I wanna tell you guys about our next summer at Gravity Falls._

 _Was it crazy? Yes, but **insane** is a better word to describe it._

 _And it might've just been crazier than our last._

* * *

"Aw yeah! Schools out for the summer!" Mabel Pines chanted as she and her brother, Dipper Pines, departed from the bus. Dipper rolled his eyes and merely followed his enthusiastic sister to their great uncle Stan's place of business, the Mystery Shack.

This would be the Pines Twins' second summer in Gravity Falls. Having just turned 13, the two of them decided another summer spent in the mysterious town would be quite the time well spent. As they traveled down the somewhat populated streets, Mabel completely oblivious, as usual, Dipper immediately felt a strange sense of unease, one different from the feelings he experienced last summer.

But he brushed it off and smiled, following his sister. He assumed that it was just the town's usual strange vibe getting to him.

As they entered the shack, they were immediately greeted by three familiar faces.

"Aha! There's my two favorite employees!" Stanley Pines smiled as his great niece and nephew entered his 'humble abode'.

"Hehe, hey, what's up dudes?" Jesus "Soos" Ramirez adjusted his cap and waved at his two friends from behind the counter.

"Sup, dorks?" Wendy Corduroy closed her magazine and got up from her seat against the back wall.

"Heyyyyyy everybody!" Mabel said in a sing-songy voice as she sprinted in circles around the gift shop.

"Hey guys." Dipper waved back and closed the door behind him. "Hm? Where's-"

"Ford's off somewhere. He told me to tell you guys he's happy belated birthday." Stan responded.

"He's been here very little, hasn't he?" Dipper asked.

"Ever since...the incident, he's been very quiet." Stan said. "Anyways, since it's your first day back, why don't you all just take the day off and go do something fun?"

Dipper and Mabel grinned at each other.

* * *

"Wow, the arcade wasn't as fun as I remembered." Mabel said in a rare unenthusiastic tone.

"Ever since they replaced _Fight Fighters_ with _T. E.: The Terrestrial Extra_ , business has gone downhill over there." Wendy said.

"Yeah, and T.E. was _horrible_!" Dipper through his arms in the air for emphasis.

"Dude, truer words have never been spoken." Soos agreed.

"You know what?" Wendy walked quickly in front of the others, stopping them in their tracks. "Why don't we check out the beach, and see what we can do there?"

"Gravity Falls has a beach?" Mabel cocked an eyebrow.

"But, aren't we, like…nowhere near the ocean?" Dipper questioned.

"It's one of those things that you just don't ask about, okay?" Wendy sighed. "Besides, it'll be fun anyways, right? It's a beach!"

"I'm in!" Soos smiled and raised his hand.

"Count me in, too!" Mabel grinned as her hand shot into the air. "Come on, bro, you comin' too?"

"Mabel…I actually have a…weird _gut feeling_ about this…" Dipper rubbed the back of his head and looked at the ground.

"Gut feeling?" Mabel tilted her head.

"…never mind, I'm just reeling from school I guess." Dipper shrugged his shoulders and chuckled.

"Then _come on_!" Mabel grinned again and started running down the side of the path, Wendy and Soos following.

Dipper hesitated slightly, but he soon ran after the three, catching up with them once he saw they stopped.

He saw their eyes were wide, and soon he knew why, as his eyes went wide as well.

 _Now I know why I felt so strange about coming here…_

The beach was blocked off with large iron fences, and nobody was on the beach at all.

What was even stranger was the fact that the sand was completely gone, not a trace of it left.

* * *

"Jeez…I mean…just…what?" Wendy slumped onto a park bench and rubbed her forehead.

"No sand? Just…no sand?" Soos stared ahead blankly, as if reality had been shattered before his eyes. "Beaches without sand…beaches need sand!"

"The sand was there yesterday, right Soos?" Wendy asked, to which Soos nodded slowly.

"I knew it, I knew something was up…" Dipper muttered, pondering the strange occurrence they had been presented with.

"I…guess that gut feeling was…pretty accurate, huh?" Mabel shrugged, kicking her feet back and forth on her own park bench, a small frown on her face.

"How…how does _all the sand_ from an _entire beach_ …disappear in _one night_?!" Dipper exclaimed. "It's…it's impossible!"

"Hey, look!" Mabel quickly pointed ahead of the four of them. "Someone's gonna say something!"

"Huh?" Dipper looked up at where Mabel was pointing, seeing a crowd of people gathering around a large stage placed in the road, where a few people in suits stood on it near a podium.

"Dudes, let's scope things out." Soos started over to the stage.

"This…is weird…" Wendy muttered, following Soos.

"Come on, Dip." Mabel got up and grabbed Dipper's wrist, pulling him along with her and over to the stage.

On the stage, after a moment of silent murmuring, one man in a generic suit stepped up to a podium, a sincere smile on his face. "Good afternoon, my fellow Gravity Falls citizens and visitors to our fair area. I'm sure a lot of you have noticed a slight…how do I put this… _reduction_ in the quality of our beach overnight.

"I would just like to assure you that there is no reason to be alarmed whatsoever. I'm sure this is purely a _temporary_ problem, and rest assured that we are working to fix this issue as soon as we can." He contiuned. "On that note, I'd like to welcome Eric Tech; the CEO of a brand new nature preservation and technology producing company, EcoTech, whose base of operations has been stationed here in Gravity Falls.

"On that note, as a gesture of goodwill and gratitude, Mr. Tech has pledged his science division to find the answer to our… _anomalous sand deficiency_. Thank you." He finished and stepped away from the podium, allowing a man in a blue suit and golden tie to step forth.

The man grinned a wide, prideful grin, and the Pines twins, Wendy, and Soos cringed at the sight of the man's single golden tooth. "Thank you, and good afternoon, everybody.

"When I first happened upon Gravity Falls, I said to myself; " _What a marvelous, friendly community; just the kind of place you would want to take your family on vacation. Or, for some of you lucky few, to live here all year 'round"_. That's why I decided to come here and do my best to help turn Gravity Falls into the best possible place it could be.

"Now, I know some of you are a little worried about the sand…but rest assured that one of my top Hydrodynalogicalticians is looking into the problem, and he's sure that it's just a combination of freak tides and some new underwater currents forming in the bay.

"We _can_ fix the problem, with a new harbor wall; which I will be only too happy to build free of charge. So don't be surprised if you see teams of my technicians over the next few weeks…

"…and I'm sure things will be back to normal before the end of your summer. Thank you for your patience." As the audience clapped and cheered for Mr. Tech as he stepped away from the podium, Dipper shivered.

 _He didn't stop grinning that entire speech…_

"What was he babbling about anyways?" Mabel asked as the crowd started to disperse, leaving the four to talk on their own.

"No idea, dudes, but there's something weird about that guy and his business…" Soos eyed the man skeptically with his peripheral vision.

"Definitely, Soos." Wendy nodded in agreement. "Hydrodynalogic—whatever? Yeah, toatally."

"I'd say we should keep our eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary around here." Dipper added. "Well, _more_ out of the ordinary than usual."

"Let's also go see what Grunkle Stan thinks about all of this." Mabel suggested. "We gotta find out what the hey hey is goin' on around here, or there'll be no summer for _any of us_!"

The others nodded and started sprinting off to the Mystery Shack. Dipper glanced once more over his shoulder at Mr. Eric Tech on stage. He hadn't left, and was still chatting with multiple businessmen.

And he was still grinning. Dipper shivered yet again.

 _Something's up with that guy…_

He kept staring for a second longer before running off to catch up with the others.

* * *

 **-(End of Chapter)-**

* * *

 **Well, that was the first chapter, and what a start!**

 **This story will be decently long, but it won't exceed, say 80 chapters. I hope, though, that a few of you will stick with this story from beginning to end, enjoying it through and through.**

 **Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed this beginning chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	2. New Mystery Arc - Part 2

**Hey everyone, I'm back for another chapter of Beach Bandits!**

 **In the previous chapter, Dipper and Mabel returned to Gravity Falls for the summer once again, only to find that the sand from the beach had disappeared! At the same time, a strange new company called EcoTech had opened up and claimed to be helping recover the missing sand.**

 **In this chapter, the gang of four will travel around Gravity Falls to hopefully uncover some clues as to where the sand has gone, as well as who Eric Tech is and what his company really plans on doing in Gravity Falls.**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2  
**

 _ **New Mystery Arc - Part 2**_

 **"** **Suspicions Rise** **"**

* * *

"Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Stan!" Dipper and Mabel chanted in unison as the two lead the others back to the Mystery Shack.

"Yeesh, kids, what, what, what?!" Stan shouted as he stepped out of the building that was his home, but mostly his brother's. "What's got you in such a fit?"

"Dude, the sand is gone!" Soos exclaimed once he and Wendy caught up with the twins.

"Grunkle Stan, this crazy dude just opened up a company in town, and he's, like, suuuuuper suspicious!" Mabel exclaimed, flailing her arms around for emphasis.

"Hold on, hold, everyone slow down, you're rattlin' me here…" Stan sighed. "Dip, start talking."

"Well, uh…all the sand is gone from the beach, and this new company opened here, and we think that the owner of the company is connected to the missing sand." Dipper explained slowly.

"They call themselves 'EcoTech' or whatever, and their CEO-dude isn't exactly looking like the most trustworthy guy right now…" Wendy added. "Eric Tech, or whatever his name is; he's wacked."

"…normally I'd say you four are full of crap, but after last summer, I believe anything now." Stan muttered. "Since the FBI left us alone, I don't think this company is an undercover headquarters for them…but why would they take the sand…?"

"It's all too weird to think about right now, we need time to collect and process our thoughts." Dipper said.

"Yeah, I gotta think about this too…" Stan leaned against the front wall of the Mystery Shack, crossing his arms. "But listen; talk to Sheriff Blubbs about this. He might be able to help you find out some info about the guy you were telling me about."

"Yeah, he might know something." Wendy nodded.

"Then c'mon!" Soos started sprinting off towards downtown Gravity Falls, Mabel and Wendy following.

Dipper started to follow, but Stan stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Promise me none of you will get into any trouble, alright?"

Dipper turned and smiled at him. "No worries, Grunkle Stan. We'll be fine; I promise."

Stan smiled back as Dipper sprinted off to catch up with the others.

* * *

The walk from the Mystery Shack to the police station wasn't exactly the shortest; after a while, the gang of four still hadn't reached it, still walking down the sidewalk of the semi-populated street.

"If this guy _did_ take the sand, then why would he need it?" Wendy asked.

"Good question…" Dipper put a finger to his chin as he walked. "Maybe he…wants a private beach?"

"Then wouldn't he take the ocean, too?" Soos asked.

"But then that would sorta be a global crisis, and he would probably attract too much attention." Wendy replied. "There's gotta be some sort of hidden reason, some kind of clue, or…or maybe—"

" _Hey, Wendy!_ "

The group turned to look across the street, seeing a few familiar faces; Robbie, Lee, Nate, Tambry, and Thompson.

"Dudes, what's up?" Wendy smiled and waved, crossing the street with the other three in tow.

"You dudes hear about the sand?" Nate asked.

"Who hasn't?" Mabel shrugged.

"We think that Tech guy has something to do with what's happening." Dipper said.

"Well then you'd be right to think that." Robbie agreed. "C'mon, you guys gotta see this."

They all started off towards the iron fence that blocked anyone from entering the now sandless beach. The four were confused as to what the teens had found and simply needed to show them, or how it related to Mr. Tech and his company. When they arrive, Robbie pointed through the fence towards the water.

"Take a look."

Dipper stepped over and peered through the grated fence. Halfway between the fence and the water was a trash can, simply sitting there out in the open. "A…trash can?"

"Ooh, garbage, what convincing proof that Tech is our villain here." Wendy sighed, crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes.

"No, just…guys, seriously, just look at it." Thompson urged.

Dipper sighed as well. "I don't see what's so—"

Then, it happened.

The trash can vibrated, the lid popping up a tad, revealing a pair of mechanical eyes poking out from inside, and two wheels emerged from the sides of the bottom half. The wheels turned as the machine began moving around along the terrain with ease. Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, and Soos gasped at the sight.

"See?" Robbie asked.

"A r-robot?" Soos blinked a few times.

"N-No way…!" Mabel muttered.

"But…but what does this have to do with Tech?" Dipper asked.

"Wait, look on the side of the wheels!" Wendy pointed.

Dipper looked, and he squinted his eyes, before widening them again at what he saw. Embedded on the side of the wheels was a logo.

 ** _EcoTech Enterprises_**

* * *

Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, and Soos sprinted towards the police station as fast as they could. This strange discovery was something they had to tell the police about, as this already confirmed their suspicions that Tech wasn't just a normal businessman. As they approached, they saw Sheriff Blubbs standing outside of the building, reading a newspaper, with Deputy Durland beside him, staring aimlessly ahead.

"Sheriff Blubbs! Sheriff Blubbs!" Dipper called out.

"Huh?" The police officer lowered his newspaper. "Whoa whoa, calm down, calm down! No need to freak out on me!"

Soos stopped running alongside the others and panted. "Officer dude, we got…uh, dude, I mean, sir, officer, uh—"

"Soos…just breathe." Wendy said.

"We…we need to tell you…" Mabel began, panting as well, before noticing Deputy Durland. "Uh…is…is he alright…?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, Durland's trying to set a record." Blubbs explained. "Longest time spent drowing out your surroundings; record's eighty-five hours, and Durland just passed seventy-three."

"That's…interesting…" Dipper stopped panting and managed to regain his breath. "You've heard of the sand going missing, right?"

"Well duh, kid, who hasn't?" Blubbs asked. "Was that all you had to come find me for? Normally, I'm the one running around looking for you."

"It's not just that!" Mabel exclaimed. "We think we might know who took the sand!"

"Yeah! It's that EcoTech company!" Soos added. "They've stolen the sand for their evil private-beach purposes!"

"Soos, it's not for a private beach…" Wendy sighed, slapping her palm against her temple and shaking her head.

"Now listen here, okay?" Blubbs began. "I'm not saying I don't believe you, but why would he do that? Mr. Tech seems like he's trying to help."

"But he's got robots!" Mabel said. "He's got them stealing the sand!"

"We saw one on the beach, logo and everything!" Wendy added.

"Hmm…alright, I'll scope out the beach when I have the time, see what I can find." Blubbs said. "But if you're pranking me, then I'll have to be hauling you down to the big house; the hooscow; don't make me do that, okay?"

"We promise, we aren't lying, okay?" Dipper said.

"Well if you aren't then you'll have to get me some evidence." Blubbs said. "If you want me to arrest this guy, I need to have the evidence to back up your claim. If you can get me some, then I might be able to help you out."

"Alright, dude, we're on the case!" Soos saluted Sheriff Blubbs.

"Yeah, we'll be back with enough evidence to bust the guy!" Dipper smirked. "I've got plenty of disposable cameras to work with; all I have to do is point and shoot, and then _"BAM!"_ ; busted for good!"

"See ya later, Sheriff!" Mabel waved and started walking off with Soos and Dipper.

"Yeah, later Blubbs." Wendy waved as well and followed her friends.

"Take care, and don't get into any trouble, you hear?" Blubbs called out.

"We won't!" They all responded, before walking off back to the Mystery Shack.

* * *

 **-(End of Chapter)-**

* * *

 ** _To be continued…_**

 **Stan is confused by EcoTech's presence, Sheriff Blubbs says he'll need some incriminating evidence to arrest Eric Tech and shut down his company, but the most important event that happened was that the teens showed the 'core four' a strange robot they found; one that had EcoTech's logo on the side!**

 **Things seem to be getting much stranger, but what could Tech be planning with his company? Are those robots really up to no good? Where'd the sand go? All these questions will be answered in time…**

 **Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	3. New Mystery Arc - Part 3

**Alright, guys, 087-B here with another chapter of Beach Bandits!**

 **In the previous chapter, the group's suspicions of Eric Tech being the culprit responsible for the disappearance of the sand seemed to be confirmed once they were shown a mysterious robot on the beach! When talking to Sheriff Blubbs about it, he said that the four of them would have to get some evidence for him so that EcoTech would be shut down and Tech would be arrested.**

 **In this chapter, Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, and Soos, while speculating on how to get any evidence for Sheriff Blubbs, will receive a surprise visit, one that just might give them the next clue to solving the mystery…**

 **…or, it might just open up an even bigger one.**

 **Also, before I begin, I want to clarify something; Ford will not appear in this story. Any theories about him you might have are false. This story's idea and plot were both conceived long before Not What He Seems even aired, so this story didn't have Ford in the plot at all. I added in a small nod to him in the first chapter, but that's about it. So just remember; Grunkle Ford has nothing to do with this story!0**

 **Now, with that out of the way, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 ** _New Mystery Arc – Part 3_**

 **"** **Predicament In Piedmont** **"**

* * *

The four of them had instantly started watching the news once they had returned back to the Mystery Shack, having found no new leads on their walk back. They sat on the couch and various seats in the living room and flipped through the channels until stopping at the local news, wanting to hear what it had to say about the missing sand and EcoTech's plans for 'solving' the problem.

"Ugh…just nothing but the same crap over and over!" Wendy sighed and threw her arms in the air, before bringing them back down and crossing them. "Yeah, we get it, _the sand is gone_ , tell us something new!"

"Wendy, calm down, alright?" Dipper said. "We'll find a lead soon. It shouldn't be that hard, right?"

"A lead on _what_?!" Mabel shouted this time. "There's _nothing_ to go off of! The sand is gone, and we can't find anything to prove Tech's guilt, Dip!"

Soos decided to jump in. "But what about the robot—"

"That thing's probably long gone, Soos." Wendy replied. "I mean, even if they did find it, it's probably disguised as a trash can and won't reveal itself to anyone."

"Oh, yeah, true…" Soos muttered in response, delving deep into thought once again.

"Well, maybe we'll find out something, right? Knock on wood?" Dipper suggested, before everyone heard someone knocking. "I…I didn't mean _literally_ …"

"Uh, Dip, I think that's the front door, actually…" Mable pointed out.

"Oh, uh, right…I knew that, heh…" Dipper smiled sheepishly before standing up and going over to the door, turning the knob, and opening it.

" _Hey, I heard you guys were in town, so with my plans cancelled, I figured I'd come see what's up._ "

Pacifica Northwest, the "most popular girl in Gravity Falls", former enemy, now friend, stood before him at the door. Still donning her outfit from a year earlier, though with slightly less glamour, she hadn't changed much in appearance; aside from being slightly taller. She smiled and stepped in as Dipper gestured her to.

"Oh, Pacifica!" Mabel smiled and ran over. "I'd love to chitchat, but we've got problems!"

"If you're gonna mention the sand, then I know about it, _everyone does_." Pacifica sighed. "It completely ruined my beach plans for the day, and now with The Lakes being drained…this summer is starting out pretty sucky so far."

"What…?" Dipper's eyes widened for a moment. "Lakes? Drained?"

"You mean you haven't heard?" Pacifica asked.

"Heard what?" Wendy asked.

"Well, after my beach trip was canned, my parents decided to take me up to that tourist spot in Piedmont, The Lakes. Every summer, they hold races on the lakes, and hikes up the mountains." Pacifica explained. "But when we get there, the place is barren and closed, all because all of the water had been _completely drained_."

"What?!" Mabel exclaimed. "When did this happen?!"

"They say it all happened last night; they being the park rangers that work there." Pacifica replied.

"All in one night…like the sand…" Dipper thought for a moment. "Both the sand and water, gone in one night, on the same night…and then EcoTech shows up…it's gotta be connected!"

"Connected how?" Soos asked.

"I knew it! He _is_ making a private beach!" Mabel pumped her fists in the air.

"Mabel, no he isn't!" Dipper shouted. "Stop it already!"

"Wait, 'he' who?" Pacifica asked.

"We're talking about that Eric Tech guy." Wendy responded.

"Oh, him." Pacifica grimaced. "That guy's so weird, but he ain't leaving anytime soon; my parents say he's bought a lot of land around Oregon and California, but nobody knows why."

"Well there has to be a reason for all of this." Dipper said. "And we gotta get to the bottom of it!"

"We're trying to find evidence to bust Tech for being the culprit!" Mabel explained to Pacifica.

"Oh, so I'm not the only one who doesn't trust that guy." Pacifica smiled slightly. "I'll stick around here and see what I can find."

"Be wary; he's got robots patrolling around." Wendy added.

"Robots?" Pacifica asked. "Well, considering last summer, that's practically the norm around here."

"Mabel and I have lived in Piedmont for the majority of our lives, but we've never even been to The Lakes, but we've heard about them." Dipper said. "This'll be a crummy first visit, but who knows what we'll find there!"

"If Tech's responsible for the water's disappearance, then we'll really have a good lead!" Soos pumped his fist in the air this time.

"The next bus to The Lakes comes in an hour, so you might want to hurry to the station if you want to catch the ride." Pacifica explained. "And be careful, alright? If that Tech guy is really building robots, he might have more dangerous ones patrolling there, to keep anyone away from his hideout."

"We'll keep an eye out." Dipper smiled. "Shall we go then?"

"I'm in!" Mabel chanted.

"Totally, dude." Wendy smirked and crossed her arms.

"Let's beat this guy's game!" Soos cheered.

Dipper smirked as well. " _Then we're off!_ "

* * *

"Alright, dudes, four bus tickets." Wendy handed everyone a ticket as they sat at the bus stop near the outskirts of Gravity Falls, a few posters advertising The Lakes on the sides. "The next bus should take us directly to The Lakes over in California."

"Maybe we'll get to see mom and dad while we're there!" Mabel smiled.

"Maybe, Mabel, but remember; we're on a mission here." Dipper noted. "Our main priority is investigating what's going on at The Lakes and find out what's happened to the water, and maybe find clues on where the sand went."

"What're The Lakes like?" Soos asked.

"I can't answer that, Soos; like I've said, I've never been, and neither has Mabel." Dipper replied. "This is new territory for all of us."

"What a boring name, anyways; _The Lakes_ , sounds _real_ interesting…" Wendy muttered.

"Well, interesting name or not, that's not the point." Dipper sighed. "Maybe we'll find some evidence to bust Tech's plans while we're there!"

"Dude, get all those disposable cameras ready." Soos said. "Who knows how many pictures we'll need?"

"Well, I'll try and take pictures of what seems like the most incriminating evidence." Dipper added. "Then, we might just be able to bust him as soon as we get back!"

"Guys, the bus is here!" Mabel pointed to the blue and white striped public city bus that rolled to a stop in front of the small station. "Alright! Let's do this!"

Mabel hopped off of her seat and sprinted on to the bus, followed by Soos, and then Dipper. Wendy got up and was about to follow as well, when she stopped. She had a strange feeling that she and her friends were…being watched. Quickly, she whipped her head around and scanned the surroundings around her, plus the tops of the buildings.

Nothing.

She shivered, continuing to feel that strange feeling, as she quietly stepped onto the bus herself.

Then, the doors shut, and the bus started off down the road towards Piedmont; their destination: The Lakes.

* * *

 **-(End of Chapter)-**

* * *

 ** _To be continued…_**

 **And thus, the** ** _New Mystery_** **arc is complete! Only a prologue arc, the next arc will be the first major one, and will be significantly longer, with a lot more action, a lot more answers, and a lot more questions!**

 **With the sand missing from Gravity Falls, and the water missing from The Lakes in Piedmont…what could this mean? How are they connected? Where is this leading our heroes?**

 **All of these questions will be answered when the right time comes…**

 **Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	4. The Lakes Arc - Part 1

**What's up, guys? 087-B here, bringing to you the fourth chapter of Beach Bandits!**

 **In the previous chapter, Pacifica showed up, giving the gang a new lead on where they should go next to find clues on the whereabouts of the sand, and now they're off to The Lakes! In this chapter, once the gang arrives…then what?**

 **As I've said before, the first major story arc begins now, and it'll be filled with action (maybe), romance (nope), and mystery (definitely)!**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 ** _The Lakes Arc – Part 1_**

 **"** **A Fence Too High** **"**

* * *

Hours had passed as the gang of four had finally made it.

The bus exited the tunnel and pulled into the cement parking circle outside the gated entrance of The Lakes, stopping at the small wooden bus stop and opening its doors, where the group then exited and watched the bus start off around the circle before exiting through the tunnel from which they had come, then they looked around the place. Paths lead up the more mountainous areas, with vines extending down from the tall rock walls and pikes. Some trees littered the small grassy hills, and near the gate was a decently sized log-cabin area, a sign above a glass window reading 'RECEPTION – CLOSED'.

This was it; The Lakes.

They started off towards the entrance gate, looking up at the large, iron bars, completely still, looking near indestructible, even though they probably weren't. They stood silently for some time, before they all realized that most likely nothing was going to happen.

"Um…so how do we get in, exactly?" Wendy asked.

"Hmm…it seems we might have to sneak in." Soos rubbed his chin, squinting his eyes in thought as he inspected the bars. "Anyone see any good spy movies lately?"

Mabel beamed and chimed in. "Oh! I saw the one with the lady and the kids and they–"

"Guys! Focus!" Dipper exclaimed. "It's pretty obvious what we have to do here. You just wait here."

"What? How will _waiting_ solve anything?" Wendy asked, crossing her arms.

"I'll get this thing open as soon as I can." Dipper looked around and started exploring the area. "If I can't go through, I'll just have to go over…somehow."

"Good luck, dude." Soos smiled and gave him the thumbs up, to which Dipper returned the gesture.

"And be careful!" Wendy called. "If this place _is_ being run by Tech, then he might have some _actually harmful robots_ around!"

Dipper stopped and thought. She was right. How would he be able to defend himself?

"…what do I do in case I run into one?"

"Just…I dunno…find a viable weapon of some kind." Wendy shrugged, leaning against the wall of the closed reception shelter.

Dipper nodded and looked around, grabbing a long, slightly thick wooden stick. He beat it against the tar a few times, and it seemed to be durable enough. He held onto it and looked around.

Then, he ran off towards the ivy covered, rocky hills, having an idea.

Though, he didn't get far, as he found himself staring at a strange, octagon-shaped metal panel, one with an orange center, sitting next to a dirt path leading up a slope. He stared at it for a moment, filled with confusion. "What…what _is_ this thing?"

Then a bright light formed over the panel, and he shielded his eyes. When the light faded, he found himself staring at a robot.

It was shaped like a half-circle, with its head being detached from its body, looking more like a pump, with the lower half of it appear like a large disc. Its wheels were conveyer belts, and from its sides emerged small, pump-looking devices. It made constant whirring noises, and rotated around in full circles before noticing Dipper, stopping and staring in his generally direction.

The boy's eyes widened. "Holy–"

He didn't even get to finish his sentence as multiple bursts of a bright energy substance shot out from the pumps at the boy.

Dipper let out a cry of agony as the bursts took him by surprise, striking his chest and lower abdomen. He felt a strong electricity and large amount of pain surge through his entire body as he fell over onto his back. He coughed and looked up, feeling weak already, as he noticed the robot charging at him. Trying his best to make a move, he grabbed his stick and jabbed it at the robot, striking its surprisingly flimsy metal disk and piercing through. He removed his stick as it started rotating in circles quickly before wheeling away from the boy and exploding into metal bits and pieces, leaving only scorch marks on the ground beneath it.

"Whoa…" Dipper panted. He wiped sweat from his forehead before glancing at the robot's 'spawner'. "If that thing came from that sheet of metal…I better destroy it."

He ran over and stabbed his stick into it. He jumped back after electricity sparked from the machinery, before it exploded in a similar fashion.

Though he noticed, before the robot and machine had exploded, that they had a familiar logo on them; the logo of EcoTech.

"So Tech really _is_ behind this. We were right." Dipper started off towards the ivy again and began climbing. It seemed like a long way over the fence, but if he was right, the geography of this place should easily allow him to get over.

* * *

Wendy let out an overexaggerated, exasperated sigh, as she flopped onto the grass below. "This is taking _foreeeeeeverrrr…_ "

"How long have we been waiting?" Mabel asked, flopping over beside Wendy.

"An hour, actually." Soos checked the watch he wore. "That lil' dude is taking his time…"

"Where _is_ Dipper, anyways?" Mabel sat up and asked.

Wendy sat up as well, about to respond, before she closed her mouth as her eyes widened. Then she sighed and stood up, starting to walk away. "Oh my god…"

"What is it, dude?" Soos stood up as well and started to follow her, Mabel getting up and sprinting alongside them.

Wendy stopped and didn't respond, crossing her arms and glaring up at a pipe hovering high over the road that connected to a waste-filled quarry on one side, and a small clearing on the other; the clearing happened to be on the other side of the gate. The pipe was most likely used to transfer water to prevent the lakes from ever overflowing. But it wasn't the pipe that she was glaring at.

" _Dude, that has to be, like, the most inefficient way to get over a fence_ _ **ever**_ _._ "

It was Dipper, who cautiously clung to the pipe, easing his way across it slowly. He looked down below to see the other three below him. "Hey! There's no other way, alright?!"

"Seriously?! _This_ is your plan?!" Wendy shouted back.

"Well it's safer than those robots I had to deal with!" Dipper argued, continuing to slowly clamber his way across the pipe.

"Huh?" Mabel cocked an eyebrow. "You mean, you actually found bad robots?"

"Yeah, I did." Dipper nodded. "They were shaped like thick disks and had conveyer-belt wheels for movement, and they shot weird… _energy pulses_ or something at me, and they…well, they really hurt, to say the least.

"But that's not the worst of it; they had the EcoTech logo, and they came from these weird octagon metal sheet things that kept producing them every minute or so…" He finished.

Everyone else had gone completely silent, trying to comprehend what Dipper had said. Sure, they thought about hostile robots, but…they did have slight doubts and hoped there wouldn't be. And now, here the capped boy was, confirming the existence of the violent technology; now they wondered what other kinds of hostile robots were around, if any other types existed.

Though, they thought back to the trash can type robot they saw back in Gravity Falls. Such a thing seemed so useless at first, but now they thought about its possible purpose; to transport the sand. Now they thought about the two potential robot types; transport, and hostile. If any other types existed, they certainly had yet to encounter them.

"…well, be careful, and try not to run into more." Wendy said. "And just…get over there and open the gate, alright?"

"Will do, be careful yourselves." Dipper nodded and crawled along again. The three nodded back and started back over to the locked gate.

The boy slowly slid down the remainder of the pipe until he was on the other side, landing safely on a grassy plain near a small hill that lead up to a park bench, and to his left was the road into The Lakes. He sprinted towards the main building to open the gate and grabbed the doorknob. He turned it, pushed, pulled, but nothing worked. The door was simply locked. Sighing, he looked around for any alternative, before noticing the window nearby that was opened slightly. He placed his hand beneath it, gripping tightly, and pushed up, opening up a new space that was small, but big enough for him to crawl through. Smiling, feeling successful, he clambered through the open window.

Now he was in the small building, as he landed on the wooden plank floor carefully. He looked around, his only light being the sunlight beaming in through the windows, though it was enough to help him locate the switch on the far end of the room. It was one of those large levers with a red sphere on top to help grasp it more easily by the bar that connected it to the floor. He sprinted over and grasped it, pulling on it with all the strength he had – which was a miniscule amount, for a boy like him. Though, he managed to do it, though the force of pulling it back had sent him reeling into a cabinet behind him. He landed on the floor with a grunt as the doors to the cabinet opened slightly, something falling out beside the boy.

Four hockey sticks.

"Hmm…these might make okay weapons for now." Dipper said to himself, grabbing hold of the four sports equipment pieces and starting to leave. He wondered why there were even any hockey sticks in here in the first place. But he decided not to dwell on it once he noticed a small, plastic bin attached to the wall that was labeled 'Maps'.

"That'll come in handy!" He smirked and reached into the bin, grabbing a map for the four of them to use to easily navigate the area. Then he carefully set everything down, unlocked and opened the door, picked everything back up, and stepped out.

As he did, he looked over at the metal gate and saw it still moving into the ground, before it was entirely submerged, allowing the other three to enter.

"Sweet! We're in!" Mabel cheered, before Dipper surprised her by giving her a hockey stick, as well as one to Wendy and one to Soos.

"We can use these as weapons to fight off any robots we find." Dipper explained. "I mean, I used a regular stick to take out one, so I'm sure a more durable piece of equipment will help us."

"Sounds good, dude." Soos smiled and gripped his new weapon, swinging it around for a bit to get a feel for it.

"Let's hurry then." Wendy said. "Who knows what the rest of the place is like if those robot freaks are roaming around."

"Alright. I also found a map, so I think we'll know where to go." Dipper added, as he and the others took off down the road.

* * *

The somewhat curvy road had gone on for a little while, though with zero navigational struggle, they took a rather leisurely pace, continuing down to the area where the central lake would be located. No more robots had appeared on the way down, and they hadn't seen any signs of any employees, rangers, or even any authority; no police, no news anchors, nothing.

"According to the map, the entrance leads to the largest lake, which stems off into other, somewhat smaller, but still pretty big lakes." Dipper explained. "I wonder how much of this place we'll actually have to explore. I don't think my calves can handle this whole place…"

"It's kinda hard thinking of a giant lake without any water in it." Soos said.

"Yeah, it's just not something you, you know, _ever_ see, or decide to think about, really." Wendy added with a nod. "What I'm struggling to wrap my head around is how there are no cops or anything around. I mean, you'd think something like this would attract a lot of police dudes and press coverage, am I right?"

"Yeah, that…is kinda weird." Mabel agreed. "And if Tech is behind all of this–"

"Which he _is_." Dipper interrupted, looking over his shoulder at Mabel, firming his gaze. "After all, I found those weird robo-pump things and their 'spawner' doohickeys, and one tried to, ya know, _kill me_ , and they had that EcoTech logo on them."

"Right, yeah…" Mabel nodded. "But…why would he need all this water? And the sand?"

"Well…anyone here see any movies where the bad guy steals either of those things?" Soos asked, though nobody raised their hands or said anything.

"I don't think a movie like that exists, actually." Wendy sighed. "I wish one did, though; it'd help us a lot."

"Definitely." Dipper agreed. "If we knew his plan, we'd know how to counter it more easily, efficiently, and effectively."

"But how do you know if the plots would be the same?" Mabel asked.

Dipper opened his mouth to reply, before stopping and thinking over what she had said. Mabel was right; if a scenario like that were to be the case here, it'd only be by a slim chance that the plans would be the same. Before he could respond, though, he and the others stopped, as his eyes widened.

"Whoa…Pacifica wasn't kidding…" He muttered.

In front of them was the central lake, and it was completely drained of all of its water.

* * *

 **-(End of Chapter)-**

* * *

 **And that's a wrap for this chapter! Not the most interesting start to a story arc, but now we've confirmed that EcoTech has hostile robots, and that the water from The Lakes has actually been drained! What will our heroes encounter next? Where did the water and sand go? Is Eric Tech really planning on creating a private beach? Find out next time!**

 **Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, as well as the start of the next arc, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	5. The Lakes Arc - Part 2

**Hey, everyone, 087-B here with another chapter of Beach Bandits!**

 **After the gang arrived at The Lakes, they found it was closed off to the public. Having to find a way inside, Dipper battled against hostile robots created by EcoTech Industries, then found a map and weapons for the group. Now that everyone is inside, they've found that what Pacifica had told them was true; the water from The Lakes had been drained completely.**

 **In this chapter, their investigation continues as they start to make their ways into the restricted areas of The Lakes, the wilderness areas – with permission, of course. But what will happen then? Read to find out! Or don't, and be boring...  
**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 ** _The Lakes Arc – Part 2_**

 **"** **A Bridge Too Far** **"**

* * *

The four continued down the road into the large inner-lake parking lot of The Lakes, near a fairly large picnic site, two docks, and a large cabin. Surprisingly, there was nothing here, not even any robot spawners or general robots, or any people, as far as they could tell. But everyone's eyes were fixated on the drained lake.

Something like that was not what you'd call an "everyday occurrence", and the four were appalled to see that what Pacifica had told them was true. With sand gone from Gravity Falls, and the water missing from The Lakes, they could confirm their suspicions that these events were connected. Now they had to figure out why this happened, and where both the water and the sand had gone, and where to go and what to do from there.

"It's…empty…" Wendy muttered, shaking her head slightly. "I mean…Jesus…"

"How'd this happen…?" Mabel asked, unable to believe her own eyes.

"That damn Tech, I'll tell you what…"

The group of four looked around before spotting the origin of the new voice; a man in a park ranger's uniform, maybe in his thirties, was on the porch of the cabin, staring out at the lake with binoculars. They all approached him to see if he knew anything else.

"Ranger Calloway, pleased to make yer acquaintance, or whatever." He spat rather distastefully. "Never break into places, kids."

"Uh…well, we're sorry, but we're up against Tech too…" Dipper wasn't sure how to respond to the man.

"Good, good, ya gotta be. He's no good, he's just a bucket of scum." Calloway said. He turned to them. "I thought he'd be doing good things when he and his people just marched on in here and said they'd be buying the surrounding land, but nope, now they've gone and drained all the water!"

"So you know it's EcoTech that's behind this?" Wendy asked.

"Well, I know it, but nothing's confirmed." Calloway sighed, stepping towards them and crossing his arms. "I don't know what to do, the authorities have tried to help, but no leads…it's only been a day, and already nothing's going right."

"Well we have a similar problem." Dipper said. "We come from Gravity Falls, Oregon, and over there, the sand has been stolen from the beach!"

"Huh…interesting…" Calloway placed a finger to his chin, thinking. "I wonder what a man like Tech would need a ton of sand and water for…what, is he making a private beach or something?"

"That's what I was thinking!" Mabel exclaimed with a smile.

"Mabel, that's not what he's doing with it!" Dipper sighed in annoyance.

"Listen…I know I shouldn't be doing this, but…" Calloway pointed out to a narrow path between two rocky stags. "Up there is an off-limits area to the public, but it goes towards a plot of land that EcoTech had bought a few days ago."

"Why're you telling us this?" Soos asked.

"Because the authorities are useless, the rangers are useless, you're the only shot we've got at taking Tech down!" Calloway replied. "Just go that way and see what you can find…then come back here if you can't go on anymore."

"Alright then." Dipper smiled and tipped his hat. "Thank you, Ranger Calloway."

Calloway smiled and returned the gesture. "No problem, kid. Now go and make Tech malfunction."

* * *

The group ran up the narrow, slightly sloped path, before they finally reached their destination. They entered a small clearing, split by a nice waterfall creating a small river flowing out into a canyon, with stepping stones and platforms allowing the ability to get across. A small cave entrance was to their right, and to their left was a large amount of vines that seemed to lead up to somewhere. The four looked around some more. A few trees were here and there, and across the water was a slope leading up to what appeared to be a bridge.

"So, I'm guessing this is the place?" Dipper asked.

"Why's this place closed off from the public?" Mabel smiled and stepped into the clearing, squatting down by some flowers. "It's so nice here!"

"Well, don't forget what the dude back there said." Wendy began, starting forward. "He said EcoTech has started buying some land around The Lakes area, so of course almost nothing is open to the public around here–"

"Whoa, careful!" Dipper stopped the red-head and pulled her back, pointing at a couple of nearby robot spawners. "Those are the things that create the robots!"

As he said that, a familiar circular robot spawned from it. Dipper stepped forward, readying his weapon, when Mabel stopped him. "Hold on, bro bro; lemme try this."

The robot, hearing the voices and sensing the presences of four individuals, turned to see what it was up against.

It barely had time to process Mabel's very existence before it was destroyed in a single blow as Mabel charged it head on, bellowing a nonsensical war cry and proceeding to hop into the air after its defeat, dealing a landing blow to the spawner and destroying it.

The other three, shocked at Mabel's sudden victory, clapped in amazement. Mabel bowed playfully. "Thank you, thank you! It was nothing!"

Wendy smiled and crossed her arms. "These robots aren't as tough as I thought they would be."

"But still, though we can pack a punch to them, they can still pack a punch to us." Dipper explained. "We still need to be careful around them. Now come on, let's try and avoid them for now and figure out where we need to go from here."

They all went over to the small river and carefully hopped along the stepping stones, making it over to the other side quickly and safely.

"It's kinda weird to see water now when we just saw an empty lake, ya know?" Soos said.

"Gotta agree with you there, Soos." Wendy agreed. "I wonder why water is right _here_ , but not back _there_ …"

"Well, that's…probably something we might find out when we find the water." Dipper responded, adding a shrug, as he led the others up the grassy slope towards the bridge they had noticed earlier.

However, when they got there, they noticed that it had been completely destroyed, and that all that was left were the two rope boundaries, with no connected wooden panels.

"Ugh!" Wendy through her hands in the air and slouched against a rock wall, bringing her arms down and crossing them. "How're we supposed to get across?"

"Hmm…" Dipper looked around the area near the bridge, but didn't notice anything, until something caught his eye from down below.

Sitting on one of the rocky stepping stone platforms was a pile of wooden boards.

"Aha! There!" Dipper smiled and pointed. "There are some planks!"

"So, they just got scattered?" Mabel asked, taking a look at the pile. "That doesn't look like enough to get across with…"

"Well, maybe there are more piles around here somewhere…" Wendy suggested.

"Yeah, we can totally find 'em!" Soos pumped his fists in the air, smiling with determination.

"Yeah, we've gotta, it's probably our only chance at getting across safely." Dipper nodded. "I'll go grab those boards down there, as well as take care of the other robot spawners. Everyone else, split off and try to find others."

"Where should we search?" Mabel asked.

"Hmm…" Dipper thought for a moment. "Mabel, you search around this area, just in case we missed anything walking up here."

"Aye aye, captain!" Mabel saluted.

"Wendy, you climb that ivy over there." Dipper pointed. "You can probably—"

"Wait, why would there be planks up there?" Wendy asked.

"It's obvious that the robots probably dismantled the bridge and tried to hide the planks." Dipper answered. "And it's clear they did a horrible job."

"True…alright, I'll give it a shot." Wendy shrugged.

"Alright, and last, but not least, Soos; you'll check out that cave." Dipper pointed to the cave they had seen coming into the clearing.

"That cave? By myself?" Soos asked for confirmation, gripping his hockey stick.

"Mhm. That cave. By yourself." Dipper nodded. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

Soos smiled and tipped his hat. "Alright then, dude, I'll do it!"

"Sweet! Now let's build a bridge!" Dipper exclaimed, and they all split up to search for the remaining boards.

* * *

Soos readied his hockey stick and eased his way into the cave. He continuously glanced around at everything within, which was just the ivy-covered rock walls, wondering if something was going to pop out, as he slowly walked down the path.

"H-Hello…?" Soos called out. "Is, uh…is a robot dude in here? I kinda don't wanna get blasted by you dudes, heh…"

Then, Soos turned a corner into a slightly larger room with a ramp leading up to another part of the cave.

Sitting on the center of the ramp was a robot spawner.

Appearing from it was a large, top-shaped robot, resembling a tall, narrow, upside-down triangle, hovering in the air via propeller. It let out a strange, robotic cry, as it aimed a laser pointer at Soos.

Soos' eyes widened as he leaped out of the way just in time to dodge three consecutive blasts of energy.

"W-Whoa!" Soos panted as he got back to his feet, preparing his hockey stick for battle. "What _is_ that thing?!"

It fired another three bursts of energy. Soos narrowly dodged the first two, then swung his hockey stick at the third. The forceful collision between solid and plasma sent the energy burst right back at the robot, destroying it in one powerful hit. Soos then quickly ran over and jammed the butt-end of his hockey stick into the spawner, destroying it.

"Man, Dip was right, there are hostile robots at The Lakes…" Soos then quickly continued along the path, seeing light ahead.

He sprinted towards it and found himself standing at a hole in the rock wall, able to jump down from where he was to reach the start of the clearing safely. Nearby was a handful of wooden planks for the bridge.

"Aw, sweet!" Soos smiled and took hold of them, then hopped down into the clearing. Then he started over to the river to cross it. "Now, time to build that bridge!"

* * *

Wendy finally reached the top of the vines and saw what she was up against. Standing in a small, rocky quarry, with multiple rock platforms and a large, out of place, rusty metal pipe, she saw a pile of planks on the highest platform, and she knew she'd have to scale the rocks to get there.

"That pipe…could there be water from the central lake running through it?" Wendy quickly brushed off the thought and ran over to the first rock platform.

Hopping on to it, she scaled the rocks with speed, easily making it to the planks. Grabbing them all and carefully hopping down from the rock she stood on, she glanced back over at the pipe.

"Just where is that thing going…?"

* * *

Wendy hopped the stones and sprinted up the grassy slope to meet with the others, panting as she reached the top, carrying her set of wooden planks. "We…got them…all…?"

"Yeah, all four sets, it seems." Dipper nodded, starting to slide his planks into their slots and knotting hem with rope, carefully inching his way along the broken bridge as he did.

"Bro, be careful…" Mabel muttered, holding the side ropes tightly.

"He'll be fine, dude." Soos smiled and reassured her, holding the ropes as well.

"Yeah, don't worry." Wendy added, having regained her breath. "It's only a bridge, and if he falls, he'll just land in the water."

"The water that leads into a waterfall, that leads into a canyon." Mabel pointed between the rocky stags near the bridge, out into the large, rather eerie looking canyon.

"Yeesh…" Wendy stared. "Hope we don't have to go down there…"

"It doesn't look like there's anything down there…" Soos said. "I doubt it."

"More planks." Dipper reached towards his sister, who handed him another set. "Thanks Mabes."

After a little more time, all of the boards were in place, and everyone had made it across. The bridge was stable enough to hold for a long while, so if they ever needed to traverse it again, it most likely wouldn't break.

"Well, I wouldn't call building a bridge a huge victory for Team Mystery," Wendy began. "But, as long as it helps us get further into The Lakes, then I say we've succeeded in making progress."

"Definitely." Dipper agreed. "This bridge was obviously broken manually, so whatever is on this side must be pretty secret."

"Then let's go!" Mabel sprinted up another grassy slope between some rocky formations, followed by Soos and Wendy. Before Dipper went along with them, he glanced down at the destroyed robot spawners.

 _Just why are there so many of them all of a sudden…?_

"Dipper…? You might want to see this…"

That was Wendy's voice. Curious, Dipper ran up to where they were. "What is it?"

He saw them all staring out into a small valley, surrounded by large rocky peaks. He looked at what they were staring at, and his eyes widened.

"Oh, geez..."

* * *

 **-(End of Chapter)-**

* * *

 ** _To be continued…_**

 **Hmm? What's that? You want to know what it is they have found? Well too bad! You've gotta wait until the next chapter! Mwahahahaha!**

 **Ahem…anyways…not a super productive chapter, but with a new hostile robot introduced, and a cliffhanger ending, some pretty neat stuff happened. So, I'd say this came out okay!**

 **Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	6. The Lakes Arc - Part 3

**Hey, everyone, 087-B here with another chapter of Beach Bandits!**

 **In the previous chapter, the gang talked with Ranger Calloway at the central lake and discussed that Eric Tech and his company had recently bought land around The Lakes area, and in such little time prior to the draining of the water. Now, after dealing with some more robots and repairing a broken bridge to delve deeper into the surrounding wilderness of The Lakes, they seem to have come across something new…**

 **What could it be? Read on to find out…rather quickly, might I add!**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 ** _The Lakes Arc – Part 3_**

 **"** **The Pumping Station** **"**

* * *

The four of them were staring at a large, out of place looking blue metallic dome, surrounded by a large iron fence and with multiple large crates littered about the area, all of them labeled with the EcoTech logo. Atop the strange building was an even stranger looking spinning transmitter type machine, with a bright red button on it that was noticeable from a mile away. Two robot spawners were within the boundaries of the fence, both of them creating what appeared to be tall, slim, humanoid robots, each of them equipped with a large, strange looking gun; the four agreed that those would probably be the most dangerous robots yet. A few other robot spawners rested about, creating the pump-disc-robots they had encountered earlier. Finally, adjacent to the slope they were standing at the top of, was another identical slope on the other side of the small, circular valley, leading into, what appeared to be, a dense forest.

"Whoa…that's gotta be the place, guys…" Dipper said, peering over a rock to get a better look. "It must be taking the water somewhere!"

Wendy nodded in agreement. "Then let's get in, and find out where."

"But how?" Mabel asked. She pointed to the front of the dome. "The door down there is shut, and besides, the whole thing is surrounded by a super big fence!"

"Well there's gotta be someway over it, right?" Soos asked.

"Leave that to me!" Dipper smiled and crossed his arms pridefully. "After all, I'm a master at getting over fences."

"Yeah, sure." Wendy rolled her eyes. "Anyways, let's just look around first. It can't be that hard to find a way over, right?"

As they descended down the slope carefully to become level with the door of the building, Dipper glanced up at the swirling radar, his eyes fixated on the obvious button. "I have a feeling that button up there will open the door."

"What button— oh." Mabel stopped herself when she saw Dipper point up at the button. "How did I not see that…?"

"In most movies, you don't press the red button, dude." Soos said.

"But it's the only button, Soos. It's our only shot." Wendy added.

"Alright, then…but how do we get up there?" He asked. "I mean, first we gotta get over that fence somehow, then we gotta take out those robo-guard looking dudes, then we gotta somehow get to that button."

"Easier said than done, Soos; this'll be a predicament for sure." Dipper sighed. "Everyone split up and try and find a way in. But be careful, we don't know what else is around here, this place could be even more defended than it appears to be."

"What should we look for?" Mabel asked.

"Definitely don't look for holes in the fence, I doubt someone like Tech is dumb enough to overlook something like that." Dipper replied. "Other than that, anything else is fair game for looking for."

With that, as soon as they reached the bottom of the slope, they all split off, taking out the numerous robots and spawners along the way. It only took them a few minutes of searching before Dipper seemed to find something interesting and out of place – of course, not as out of place as the whole building was. He found a pair of crates, the only two crates not within the fence, both pressed against the exterior part of the fence, allowing for one to climb up on top of them and jump over. Dipper smiled.

"Guys, over here!" He called, and the others quickly ran over to him.

"What did ya find, bro?" Mabel asked once she arrived.

"Check this out!" Dipper pointed.

Wendy took a look. "Oh boy, wooden boxes. Whoop-dee-do."

"No, look!" Dipper climbed up on one box, then the next, and finally hopped over the fence, landing on the muddy terrain below. He looked back at the others and smirked. "How's that for being the 'Fence-Hopping-Master'?"

He was a bit surprised to see them looking at him wide-eyed.

"Wow, did…did I surprise you that much?" Dipper chuckled sheepishly. "Cause, if I did, well–"

"Dude, behind you!" Soos shouted.

"Huh?" Dipper quickly turned, then swung his hockey stick quickly, barely blocking the oncoming butt of the metallic gun wielded by one of the robot guards. Feeling overpowered, he fell back, as the guard aimed the nozzle of its gun at his forehead.

As it did, Wendy hopped the fence and knocked off the head of the robot quickly with her own hockey stick. Then she sprinted over and jammed the end of it into the robot spawner that had created it in front of the large metal door.

Wendy ran back over to help Dipper up, who was panting and trying to process what had just happened. "Wow…thanks…"

"You okay?" Wendy asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine…close call!" Dipper rubbed the back of his head.

"Heh, yeah." Wendy chuckled. Then she realized something. "Wait, wasn't there another one…?"

They both turned and saw anther robot henchman running towards them. They both smirked and readied their weapons, sprinting towards it, ready to fight.

Mabel and Soos had just gotten over the fence in time to see Dipper stabbed his hockey stick into the robot's chest, yanking it up and causing it to fall over and cease to function, with Wendy destroying it's spawner at the same time. Once they regrouped, they looked around.

"Okay…so now what?" Mabel asked.

"Now we gotta find a way to get on top of the building." Dipper responded. "I wonder if there are any more crates we could use…"

"Or, we can use this ladder right here."

The others looked over to see Wendy beginning to climb a black metal ladder. Dipper, Mabel, and Soos quickly followed, and continued up multiple platforms and ladders to reach the top. Once they did, they approached the large, spinning satellite thing.

"Well, this was a lot easier than I thought it would be…" Dipper muttered.

"Yeah…it's like it was _too_ easy…" Soos added.

They all waited for something to happen once Soos had said then, and when nothing did, Mabel shook her head. "No, I think it was just easy."

Dipper walked over and firmly pressed the button with both palms. The building shook a little for a quick moment, before they all heard gears shifting. The door below seemed to be opening. They hopped over a small iron barricade and slid down the smooth structure to the muddy path below, seeing the door open.

"C'mon, guys!" Dipper sprinted inside. "Let's find the water!"

Everyone smiled and followed him in, as the large metal door shut automatically behind them.

* * *

 **-(End of Chapter)-**

* * *

 ** _To be continued…_**

 **So, the team has found a mysterious building, and they believe it to be linked to the water's disappearance, and after getting inside…what will they find?**

 **I'll leave that for you to think about until the next chapter!**

 **Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	7. The Lakes Arc - Part 4

**Hey guys, already back with Chapter 7 of Beach Bandits!**

 **In the previous chapter, the gang believed they had found the building that the water from The Lakes had been transported to, and after battling a new type of robot, they've found a way in! What could be inside?**

 **Read on to find out!**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 ** _The Lakes Arc - Part 4_**

 **" Flowing Water"**

* * *

Everyone was impressed upon entering.

The cylindrical interior was quite the mechanical sight. Light panels were evenly spaced down the wall, and a single blue platform they stood on had a long spiraling path connected to it that went all the way down to the bottom. Where they stood, there was an iron rail that went up to the ceiling to prevent anyone from falling, as well as a gate that looked to be locked. There was also a cylindrical steel elevator that seemed to run from the bottom to the top and not vice versa. There was a large control panel with a red button in the center, labeled 'GATE/DOOR SWITCH', and numerous stained-orange, metal cates, with a stylized 'E' on them, to represent EcoTech.

But what had caught their eyes once they entered was the large amount of water being shot out of a pump from the center of the ceiling, flowing down to a large pool at the bottom of the singular room building.

"Guys, we found the water!" Mabel exclaimed, grinning as she ran over to the railing, peering between the bars at the artificial waterfall.

Dipper's eyes widened. "No way...already?!"

"Wait, something's gotta be up here." Wendy said. "This can't be all the water. There's gotta be another pump at the bottom, taking it somewhere else. This is probably water from another smaller lake."

Soos looked around and eyed the machinery and monitors he saw on the control panel. "Hm...dudes, look at this."

"Huh?" Dipper approached him, along with the others. "What'd you find, Soos?"

"Look at these charts; they show the water being pumped, and the pumps being powered by a generator." Soos explained. "This is a place that pumps and filters out water, and places like these typically have control rooms located in lower levels to have more access to the water in a contained state without the weight of the amount of it risking a floor collapse...

"If we can get to the bottom, I might be able to find a way to short out the generator powering this place and reroute the water back to The Lakes!" Soos finished.

"Soos...how did you know all that?!" Mabel asked

Soos shrugged. "Saw it in a movie once. Now come on! We gotta hurry, I doubt the door will stay open long, dudes!"

He slammed the red button, and the gate nearby opened slowly, sliding to the right, and a door at the bottom raised into the ceiling. As soon as the gate was open, Soos quickly sprinted down the path, the others following close behind.

"So where else would the water be being pumped to?" Wendy asked as they ran. "Could there really be another one of these places...?"

"Another pumping station?" Dipper replied with a question of his own. "Huh...I wonder if there really is another."

"I hope there isn't." Mabel said. "This Tech guy is so confusing! Why does he want a-"

"He doesn't want to make a beach, Mabel!" Dipper shouted, to which Mabel chuckled, running ahead.

Even with running for a good few minutes, they still were nowhere near the bottom.

"How do we get down there quicker?" Dipper asked.

Soos looked around, thinking of what to do. "I dunno, dude..."

"Maybe we can just jump down?" Wendy suggested.

"We don't know how deep the pool is down there, so we might not survive a fall like that..." Dipper replied. "Is there any other way?"

Soos couldn't think of anything as he looked around more.

Though he knew there was only one chance they could take.

Ignoring his friends shouts once they knew what he was doing, Soos hopped the railing and fell to the pool below.

Landing in the cold, 'foggy' water, Soos quickly tried swimming upwards, feeling as though he would be sucked down into the bottom pumping pipe. He quickly surfaced and swam to the edge, panting for air. Looking to his left as he climbed out, he saw the door they were aiming to get through about to close completely. Eyes widening, Soos had to call for everyone to jump.

"Dudes, it's deep enough! Jump!" The man sprinted for the door in the meantime.

As he neared it, he turned to see the others quickly jumping down into the pool, one by one; first Dipper, then Mabel, then Wendy. He smiled, seeing them make it, before looking ahead. With little to no room left to get through, however, Soos ducked down and slid under in time.

"Soos, wait for us!" Dipper called out, climbing out of the water and sprinting for the door, completely soaked.

"Hurry, it's gonna close!" Mabel excalimed as she quickly followed Dipper, Wendy close behind.

"You can make it! Come on, dudes!" Soos reached under the slowly closing door for them, but yanked his hand away once he realized they wouldn't make it as the door slowly closed.

He couldn't believe he was now trapped in, well, whatever this room was, without his friends. He assumed the door was soundproof, as he couldn't hear any banging or voices on the other side.

Sighing, Soos got up and walked away from the door, turning around a corner to go right. Then, to his surprise, he came across a large room with a vast number of control panels, with knobs, switches, levers, buttons, and monitors, with pipes connecting everywhere in the back of the room behind them.

Soos approached and sat down in a chair in front of the main control panel, seeing on the monitor in front of him what looked like a form of a digital lock. The monitor showed a large number of rotatable pipes on a grid that lead to a generator icon. One pipe at the far left end of the screen had what looked like water flowing through it.

"Oh, I get it...I gotta direct the water to the generator and short it out!" Soos then cracked his fingers and placed them on the keyboard built into the main control panel.

 ** _"Let's do this."_**

* * *

 **-(End Of Chapter)-**

* * *

 **To be continued...**

 **Oh no, the gang has been separated! While the others are trapped outside the door, Soos is now dealing with a strange looking puzzle of sorts that might just help steak the pumping of the water and take out this whole building! Will he succeed? Will the gang get back together and escape in time? Will this even solve anything? Where the hell is the sand and the rest of the water?**

 **All of these questions will be answered soon...**

 **Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always...**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	8. The Lakes Arc - Part 5

**Hey everyone, 087-B here, finally back with another chapter of Beach Bandits!**

 **In the previous chapter, the gang had entered the mysterious Pumping Station. Locating some of the water that had been drained from The Lakes, they had opened a door at the bottom that would close in a short time. As they ran down, Soos had a feeling they wouldn't make it. So he lept over the edge and into the bottom pool, they swam out and ran through the door.**

 **In this chapter, after a momentary separation, what will happen next? Will Soos manage to crack the code of the computer he found? What will the others do? How will this be resolved? Where will the water go? Where the heck is the sand? Is Tech** _ **really**_ **making a private beach after all?**

 **Find out in this chapter of Beach Bandits!**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 _ **The Lakes Arc - Part 5**_

" **Water, Water, Everywhere** "

* * *

Mabel sighed, slumping down the wall and onto the floor, where she pulled her legs to her chest. "Waiting sucks."

Wendy pounded her fists on the doors. "Waiting? Who said anything about that?! Soos could be in danger behind there! We have to get in!"

"I'm sure he's fine, Wendy." Mabel muttered. "Maybe there's a way to open the door on the other side? He'll come out, I bet."

"Well what if, on the other side, is a big army of giant evil robots?! They'll tear him to shreds!" Wendy slammed her fists on the door one last time. "Dammit, we have to get in! Dipper, would you just-"

Upon looking over, Wendy saw Dipper fiddling with a little yellow device in his hands.

Mabel glanced up. "Huh? What's that?"

"Walkie-talkie." Her brother replied nonchalantly. "Trying to input a signal code."

"You brought walkie-talkies with us?" Wendy asked, reaching a hand out quickly. "Gimme it, I've got a phone, I'll look up the code."

Dipper shrugged and handed it off. "I gave one to Soos earlier, sorry I forgot to give them to you two. Thought I already did."

Wendy tapped the keyboard on her phone quickly with one hand, and after the signal code had popped up in the results of her search, she briskly inputted it into the walkie-talkie, then clicked the button. "Soos? C'mon, are you there?"

Mabel and Dipper gathered around in a hurry, the red-head holding out the walkie-talkie in front of them so they could all hear what Soos had to say.

If he even replied at all.

Wendy sighed. "Great, it doesn't work-"

" _...crzzt...g-guys…?_ "

Immediately, the communication device jumped to life, Soos' voice flowing through, the static clearing.

"Soos?!" Dipper called in, taking the device from Wendy and clicking the 'talk' button.

" _...hey dude, what's up?_ "

Dipper chuckled. "You okay in there?"

" _Yeah dude, everything's fine. Just dealing with a computer lock-a-majig thingy._ "

"Computer lock-a-what?" Mabel cocked an eyebrow.

" _This weird computer in here is pointing all these wires and pipes and stuff to a generator, and I guess I gotta connect them? Pretty weird puzzle for something as big as this place. How're you dudes?_ "

"We're fine, just waiting outside the door." Wendy replied. "So talk about this computer more."

" _Well, it's just a hunch, but...I think maybe if I redirect the water here through these pipes and into the generator, it'll short it out and shut down the building. Downside is, there's a catch._ "

"A 'catch'?" Dipper raised an eyebrow himself. "What kind of 'catch'?"

" _I think that...the building might_ _ **blow up**_ _once this is all complete._ "

Everyone stood silently, taking in what Soos had just said.

"...b-blow up?" Mabel muttered. "Th-Then...how do we get out? How do _you_ get out?!"

" _There's an elevator nearby, I can take that way out, I think. And there should be an elevator where you dudes are. Take it up and get out the way we came, if you can. I'll meet you outside when I'm done. But go now!_ "

Nobody needed to be told twice, the three were already sprinting for the elevator Soos had talked about mid-sentence. It was a glass, cylindrical elevator, with metal panels every few yards upwards. As they stepped in and started going upward, Mabel stared out at the pouring water.

"...it's so weird. We've already _found_ the water."

"I doubt this is _all_ of the water, Mabel." Dipper said. "It's too little to fill the entirety of the central lake. The surrounding lakes are probably being drowned as well, maybe this water is from those areas."

"This should be enough water at least to start bringing back waterfalls and streams, and maybe fill up a few of the lesser lakes." Wendy put a finger to her chin. "I'm sure we've made some progress, eh team?"

"Assuming Soos can get the computer shorted out." Dipper shrugged.

"Of course he can, he's a handyman! He'll get it done in no time at all!" Mabel grinned, crossing her arms proudly.

Wendy checked her phone. "It's been like, twenty minutes since he went in. I don't know how long it will take until-"

A large click was heard, and the building momentarily shook. After regaining their balance, they stepped out of the elevator once it had reached the top platform. Then, everyone looked out over the railing to see the water stop flowing from above. It drained slowly from the bottom pool into a large pipe, before it was completely dry.

Mabel smiled. "Soos did it!"

Dipper quickly went wide-eyed. "Crap...we gotta get out, come on!"

They sprinted back to the door they had entered through, seeing it pop open due to the building starting to malfunction. With one last glance over her shoulder, Mabel smirked and followed the others out.

* * *

"Heh, sayonara, Tech! Your plan's been busted!" Wendy pumped a fist, fisting bumping Soos as they exited, who had been waiting for them to return.

"Oh yeah, we rule!" Mabel hopped up in victory.

Dipper chuckled. "So, what now?"

Soos thought for a moment before holding his breath. "Guys, wait, hide behind cover before it blows!"

After processing that thought for a moment, everyone ducked for cover behind a few large crates. Peeking out, they saw multiple panels from the building break apart, fall off, or even explode. The ground shook as the building exploded from the inside, the remnants of its outer shell sinking down into the mud, leaving nothing but a small pool of water. The explosion of the building sent out enough debris to take down the fence.

In the end, they had a way back out, and the building was destroyed, allowing the water to flow back to The Lakes.

Everyone smiled and ran back to climb over the fallen fence.

"Sheesh...look at _that_." Wendy crossed her arms. "Three teens and a young adult blew up a drainage factory. Do we rule or what?"

"But that can't be all." Soos muttered.

"Huh?" Dipper looked to his friend. "What, Soos?"

"It obviously can't be just this building, dudes. There has to be more." Soos replied. Then, he pointed up a hill leading to a forest. "That way, we should go that way."

"Into the forest?" Wendy cocked an eyebrow. "Soos, we don't know what's in there! Why should we go that way, when we can just go back the way we came to get to the central lake?"

"Because we won't make any progress by going backwards, Wendy. There's no other way to go but forward into the woods." Soos started off towards the woods. "C'mon dudes, I'm sure if we cross the forest, we'll find whatever else Tech has planned!"

Without an objection or any hesitation, the gang followed Soos up the hill and into the darkened forest, the path ahead of them shrouded in mystery.

Clearly, they weren't done yet.

* * *

 **-(End Of Chapter)-**

* * *

 **To be continued…**

 **Well, not much happened, but hey! The Pumping Station has been dealt with! Water is sure to return to The Lakes soon, right?**

 **...right?**

 **As the gang travels into a forest, leading them deeper into the wilderness, one can only guess what lies ahead for them, and what they'll find. But Tech's plan can't already be foiled, right?**

 **Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


	9. The Lakes Arc - Part 6

**Hey guys, finally back with another chapter of Beach Bandits! After, like, a year-long absence...sheesh.**

 **In the last chapter, Soos' brains managed to eradicate the Pumping Station, allowing the gang to completely destroy one of Tech's landmarks that disrupted the water flow, peace, and tranquility at The Lakes. The surrounding area was filled with mud and water and all signs of robo-life in the immediate location was destroyed. Go Mystery Team! However, the path doesn't end there!**

 **Now with nowhere else to go but forward, the group has found themselves required to traverse a dense forest to keep going towards the true source of Tech's "evil" within The Lakes. The Pumping Station truly can't be the end, right? It would be too easy.**

 **What will the gang find in the forest? Read to find out!**

 **Now, on with the show!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 _ **The Lakes Arc - Part 6**_

" **Lost in the Forest** "

* * *

The dark forest was barely lit by the sun, seeping in through the thick canopy of leaves looming overhead. The gang of four was nervous. Still, they remained determined, slowly stepping forward into a grassy opening, a gaping hole in the leaves above to allow evening sunlight to flow inside.

Dipper tightened his grip on his hockey stick, glancing around the wooded area, looking between every tree and around every rock. "We gotta be careful, there could possible be robots in here...or worse. Keep your eyes peeled. We gotta find our way through, and then-"

" _Look out!_ " Mabel shoved her brother back, then swung her hockey stick to swipe away a flying sphere of plasmatic energy. A pump-like robot had swiveled into view, taking aim at the group. "I got this!"

The girl charged forward, glaring harshly at her target and ducking another blast of energy, before hopping up and slamming the end of her hockey stick down, creating a clean stab through the torso of the robot. Yanking the stick out, the girl stumbled back a bit as the robot shook before exploding into a mess of ash and metal.

Wendy's eyes widened. "...sheesh, there actually _are_ robots here."

"Tech must have something ahead if he has robot dudes around here…" Soos stepped forward.

"Well then we gotta be extra careful, we don't know what might pop out of the darkness." Dipper said. "Let's move out."

The group of four continued into the darkened forest, occasionally having their pathway lit by the sunlight creeping in from above. The maze-like paths the forest provided made them all equally as concerned; which path to take? Which one would take them out, which would lead them deeper in? Splitting up proved useless, as they all ended up circling back on to their original path, making no progress at all. Going straight seemed pointless, too. It was as if the path went on forever.

They were entirely lost.

Eventually, they stumbled into a clearing of sorts, which had plenty of sun dipping down into it. There were less paths to take this time, and now the forest butted up against a rocky cliffside. The four of them decided now was a good time to rest and truly make a plan for both getting out and stopping Tech.

"We've found, like, zero more robots…" Wendy sat on a rock and leaned against a tree behind it. "And I have the feeling that that's honestly a bad thing."

"A bad thing?" Soos asked. "What makes you say that, dude?"

"I think I get what she means." Dipper sat on the grass, against the rocky wall. "Tech would obviously have robots guarding the path to his 'landmarks', right? To deter people onto paths like these, so that they don't interfere."

"Oooooh, so we gotta find the enemy to beat the enemy?" Mabel grinned as she sat beside her brother. "Then we get to shut down his private beach?"

"It's not a private beach!" Dipper groaned and threw his hands up. "I wish you'd stop with that stupid assumption!" Mabel only giggled.

Wendy rolled her eyes and took up her hockey stick. "I'm gonna go look around. Take the time to eat or something, we've got a long road ahead."

The three others nodded, and the red-head teen trekked off down the remaining path into the forest. It was then it began to sink in that the four of them were just thrust into this...adventure of sorts. It was still real life, a fight for survival against all odds now, if anything. But against...robots? To save...sand? Water?

Weirdest adventure ever.

"We're just sitting in the middle of the woods in California, fighting robots to get some sand and water." Dipper laughed and sipped from a water bottle. "This is kinda dumb."

"And fun!" Mabel seemed particularly energetic, jogging about the small area. "Taking on bad guys! Saving the world!"

"Saving portions of two states. Not the world." Dipper corrected.

"Cmon dude, have some fun! Some kinda sense of adventure!" Soos urged, taking up his own hockey stick.

Dipper was about to respond when they heard a shout from Wendy in the forest.

" _A-Augh, no, get_ _ **off!**_ "

Eyes wide with surprise, the three grabbed their things and hurried off in the direction of the noise.

They stumbled upon Wendy, the teen panting and standing rather tensely, gripping her hockey stick in both hands. Before her were a couple of destroyed robotic humanoids, similar to the guards they had fought outside the Pumping Station. There were also two destroyed Robot Spawners. She turned to look at them, agitation in her eyes.

"...what." She mumbled, regaining her composure.

"...what happened?" Mabel muttered.

Wendy sighed and stretched. "They got the jump on me. My whole body feels dislocated..."

"Sheesh…" Dipper winced. "...but hey, we must be going the right way now, right? If we're finding robots?"

"Duh. Let's keep moving." Wendy turned and hurried off. "I'm gonna beat any damn robot I see until it explodes!"

They just watched her run off, the three of them stunned.

"...YEEEEEAAAAHHH!" Soos and Mabel cheered and ran after her, leaving Dipper to just watch in confusion and shock.

"...alright then."

Hurrying to follow them, the four regrouped and continued to tackle robot after robot along the way, finally making some progress getting through the forest. Light became more prominent the farther in they went, and soon enough, they came across a large opening to the outside; an exit to the forest.

"Aw yes!" Mabel leaped up and ran for the exit. "Freeeeedoooooom!"

"Hold on dude, don't take all the freedom for yourself!" Soos called, following her.

Wendy watched them hurry out of the woods. "Sheesh, those two are gonna be excited about this whole adventure, aren't they?"

Dipper laughed. Maybe it was an adventure after all. "Yep, yep. They're gonna milk the crap outta this summer."

"You know it." Wendy chuckled, and the two followed Mabel and Soos out of the woods, ready to face whatever would soon stand in their way next.

* * *

 **-(End Of Chapter)-**

* * *

 **To be continued…**

 **Welp. Still not much happened. But the next couple of chapters, lots of stuff will happen! Stick around, you won't wanna miss what the gang finds outside the forest…**

 **Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, reviews are highly appreciated, and as always…**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~087-B**


End file.
